Ejector for an automatic lancet arm

• US 4,658,821 A
• Filed: 09/15/1986
• Issued: 04/21/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Packaging Corporation International
• Original Assignee: Packaging Corporation International
• Inventors: Maggio, Joseph, Chiodo, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US06/908,928
• Time in Patent Office: 218 Days
• Field of Search: 128/314, 128/315, 128/329 R, 128/330, 128/637, 128/751-755, 604/22, 604/46, 604/47
• US Class Current: 606/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150618 Integrally moulded protectors, e.g. protectors simultaneously moulded together with a further component, e.g. a hub, of the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit

Abstract

The present invention consists of an improvement on the pivoting arm of an automatic lancet. Generally an automatic lancet is comprised of a housing having a spring loaded pivoting arm. The arm has a cylindrical holder at the operating end which holds a needle encased in a plastic carrier. Upon releasing the spring, the needle pierces the patient'"'"'s finger producing a blood sample. To replace the needle generally requires pulling the old needle out with one'"'"'s fingers and pushing a new one in. The present invention improves the cylindrial holder by adding a plunger inside it. This enables the user to push the old needle out without the necessity of grabbing or touching the old needle. Thus, safety for the medical technician is greatly enhanced.

Claims

1. In combination with a lancet device comprising:

a housing;

an arm mounted in the housing for movement between a retracted position and an operating position, said arm having an end outside said housing;

a holder on said end of the arm, said holder having a recess therein which is open at one end for the slidable insertion and removal of a lancet needle assembly, said holder having an end wall with an opening therein at the opposite end of said recess;

spring means urging said arm from said retracted position to said operating position;

and manually releasable latch means for holding said arm in said retracted position against the urging of said spring means;

a plunger having a peripheral flange slidably received in said recess in the holder, said plunger extending from said flange slidably through said opening in said end wall to the outside of said holder for manual actuation;

and a lancet needle assembly slidably received in said recess in the holder, said lancet needle assembly at one end presenting a needle located beyond said open end of said recess in the holder and at its opposite end positioning said flange on the plunger against said end wall of the holder;

said plunger being slidable toward said one end of the recess to push the lancet needle assembly out of said recess in the holder.